Toughness Matters, But Tangible Toughness

This is not about tough talk, after being punked by Josh Smith's failed windmill dunk attempt during Wednesday's garbage time.

This is not about hard fouls and constant jabbering.

But it is about toughness. Tangible toughness.

What the Heat needs to extend this series against the Hawks is the type of defensive grit that has too often proven fleeting since the midseason trade of Shawn Marion, which especially was the case during Wednesday's Game 5 loss in Atlanta.

What it needs is to end Flip Murray's candidacy for Sixth Man of the Postseason, keep Mike Bibby from even thinking about going to the basket, re-plant the seed of doubt with Joe Johnson.

That's not about hard fouls. That's about getting in front of your man and staying in front of your man. And, yes, that includes Dwyane Wade.

Counting on homecourt as the prime factor for extending this to a Game 7 only would expose this team's immaturity. Don?t kid yourself, the Heat got way too full of itself after taking its 2-1 lead.

If the Heat plays its best defense Friday, it will be back in Atlanta on Sunday. If it merely talks the talk, then the talk will stop here.

This is not the time for foolish bravado. For the Heat, this now is a two-game series. To do something stupid Friday and compromise its chances in a potential Sunday game would be beyond foolish. It would mirror so many of the team's previous misplaced macho moments.